Thursday, July 1, 2010

June 12th -- Le nouveau photographie & Théâtre des Abbesses

Today Professor Shea presented a lecture about photography and its relationship within the context of the modernist movement in Paris. Photography, like painting, was experiencing a significant transformation, changing the traditional methods of representation and documentation. Photographers such as Atget, Kretesz, and Man Ray were experimenting with their subjects, compositions, and developing processes. This experimentation yielded wonderful visuals and new techniques such as solarization and rayographs and influenced many of its contemporary artistic movements such as Surrealism, Futurism and Dada.

In the evening we attended a performance of choreographer Susane Linke’s work. It was a stunning show comprised of five solo compositions, performed by Linke and three other dancers. The work was evocative and beautifully danced. The formal production elements, lights, costumes, and props were integral to the conceptual work and they enhanced the powerful impact of the overall work. A bathtub in the second solo became an animated partner to Linke's character in the performance. The lecture on the Ballets Russes and Claire Verlet’s talk framed this expressive performance in the context of Modernism.